Don’t miss the top three Warhammer 40k army lists that crushed the 295 person 2019 NoVA Open GT as the meta continues to evolve…
The NOVA Open brought players in from all across the globe to roll some dice in a competitive setting. Looking at the results from the tourney, these three lists managed to come out on top of the 295 participants. Take a closer look at what they brought.
Thanks to Best Coast Pairings, we can look back at the events as if we were there ourselves!
3rd Place: Orks- Marc Parker
Looking at this 3rd place Ork list, the venerable Marc Parker brought a Battalion loaded down with two Boy blobs and some Gretchin to help screen the Smasha Gun gun-line. The Vigilus Dread Waaagh! formation was also taken for the insane Souped-up Shokka relic.
For even more screens, two more Battalions full of Gretchin were taken. With a mix of characters, a squad of Bad Moons Lootas was also fielded alongside the Smasha Guns making this list one of the most shooty Ork armies we’ve seen. Orks might not have the best BS but when you mass your firepower and bring half of it in a Bad Moons Detachment, you get results!
2nd Place: Nick Rose- GSC
Looking at this GSC list, a mixed Battalion was brought for some CP and four staple characters. The Patriarch serves as a beat stick all on his own, but with a Kelermorph at his side, characters hiding behind screens suddenly become a lot more vulnerable.
For the next Battalion, a Jackal Alphus and Acolyte Iconward led Acolytes and Neophytes. The GSC player could pop a 2CP Strat to have 20 Hand Flamers pop up just outside of 3″ from the enemy and burn them to a crisp. For some heavy-firepower, those Neophyte squads were all given two mining lasers.
Finally, the last detachment had another Patriarch and a Primus lead some Aberrants and Hybrid Metamorphs. If you don’t play this faction, it might be difficult to see all of the combinations. But essentially, the Neophyte Squads could hang back and pop things with the mining lasers. Hand Flamer Acolytes would pop up and blow away any screens remaining by turn two, and the Aberrants/Hybrid Metamorphs would go in with the rest of the characters and clean up any armor.
GSC in 8th edition work as a very “hammery” list. Meaning that their threats come in wave after wave and you’ve essentially got a one-turn clock to deal with each wave before the next appears. Usually, the first three turns of GSC are hell. If you can outlast to the late game, they’ve usually lost their steam. But great job coming in 2nd place Nick!
1st Place: Tau- Richard Siegler
Starting off with this Tau list, an Outrider Detachment was taken spamming every kind of Drone possible. On top of 18 shield drones, other cheap units were taken for extra savior protocol chances. So what were they protecting?
You guessed it! Three Riptides with burst cannons. And as for the final detachment, with something we’ve never seen before, this Tau player brought a Supreme Command loaded with Cadre Fireblade. They each get two drone options a pop and have a huge chance at painting a target with a Markerlight. For the other HQs sprinkled in around the list, two Commanders with Ion Blasters were Elite hunters that got too close to the gun line. Finally, an Etheral stuck close and was able to inspire everyone bubbled up in the flying drone fortress.
Great job!
What do you think about the top finishers from this event?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
